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LawTalk, Attorney

Category: Social Security

Satisfied Customers: 30133

Experience: I have 30 years of legal and litigation experience, including representing clients before the U.S. Social Security Administration.

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I would like to know what the process is to become my own Social

Resolved Question:

I would like to know what the process is to become my own Social Security Representative Payee. It is my sister currently, and she said she would like me to be the payee, but she thought I might lose my social security if we request this change. I completely manage my own money at this time, but I also have a fairly large bank account ($90,000), due to an inheritance, and I receive additional ( though limited) income from a rental property which I am part owner of. I would like to have the Social Security check to automatically be deposited into my own bank account, rather than given to my sister, and she would also prefer this. Should I try to become my own payee or do I actually risk losing my social security disability income altogether? I originally started to receive it for depression/eating disorder when I was 18 and in treatment at that time, but have not been receiving treatment of any type or even seeing a doctor for years. And Social Security has not reviewed my case for a long time.

I'm Doug, and I'm sorry to hear of the confusion. My goal is to provide you with excellent service today.

If you would like to have social security terminate your Representative Payee and begin paying your benefits directly to you, you may do so. You will not lose your benefits simply because you want to be paid directly.

The way to ask to have the Representative Payee terminated is to fill out this form:

As you can see by the form, as you are only wanting to end the payments to the Representative Payee, all you need to do is to mark the box in "Item 1" on the form, and then answer only items 3, 5, 6, and 8 before signing the form on page 4.

Then simply take the form you filled out, or mail it, to your social security office nearest you and they will look into the request for you and notify you by mail if and when your request is approved.

Your benefits will not be terminated just because you ask that the Representative Payee's job be terminated and the benefits instead paid to you directly.

You may reply back to me using the Continue the Conversation or Reply to Expert link and I will be happy to continue to assist you until I am able to address your concerns, to your satisfaction.

Please remember to rate my service to you when our communication is completed.

I looked at the form you referred to online, and as far as I can tell, it is not one meant to be filled out in order to become your own payee. That is what I am wondering- the process of getting my social security benefits myself. And I am concerned about losing my income from social security, especially if they knew of my inheritance. Your reply really did not fully answer my question. I need to know what both my sister and I need to do in order to change who receives the check each month and if there is any real chance of my losing it, in the event they would review my case and decide I was not eligible.

I'm sorry for any confusion, but please look again at the form I gave you. It is the form to be used---I assure you.

The directions immediately above Item 1 state: "Answer item 1 ONLY if you are the claimant and want your benefits paid directly to you." This is the form to be used when someone is asking to be appointed as a payee of benefits. Because you already have a payee, you use this form to change the payee to yourself---because they are your benefits.

An inheritance has no impact on your eligibility for disability. You could be a millionaire and still qualify for social security disability.

The only questions that you need to fill out on this form ate Items 1, 3, 5, 6, and 8 before signing the form on page 4.

You may reply back to me again, using the Reply to Expert link, if you have additional questions.

Your sister needs to do nothing at all. All you need to do is to fill out the form and get it to social security. They will handle the rest.

Have a great weekend!

Thank you for your positive rating of my service, . It has been my pleasure to assist you and I hope than you will ask for me on JustAnswer should a future need ever arise.

Please feel free to bookmark the following link so you can request me to answer any future legal questions you may have:http://www.justanswer.com/law/expert-lawtalk/

Thanks again.

Doug

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Excellent information, very quick reply. The experts really take the time to address your questions, it is well worth the fee, for the peace of mind they can provide you with. OrvilleHesperia, California

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